CS2 guide: essential Mirage grenades — 10 smokes and 5 flashes you must know

Mirage is consistently the most-played map in CS2 across all skill levels, and grenade knowledge is the biggest mechanical separator between players who win rounds and players who lose them. Without the right smokes, executing onto A or B is nearly impossible against even moderately competent defenders. This guide covers the 10 smokes and 5 flashes used at the professional level on every tier-1 map pool appearance.

T-side smokes: A site execution

CT spawn / Jungle smoke

Position: left corner of T spawn against the left wall. Aim: top-right corner of the building roof on the left side of mid. Throw: jump-throw. Effect: blocks CT and junction, enabling safe A ramp and A short push.

Ticket Booth smoke

Position: at the Short door, against the wall. Aim: the antenna on the roof above Ticket Booth. Throw: standing throw. Effect: blocks the Ticket Booth exit completely, removing the defender's peek angle.

Steps smoke

Position: T ramp, against the right wall. Aim: the corner between sky and the building roofline. Throw: jump-throw. Effect: full Steps block; CT defenders cannot safely hold the Steps position during an A execute.

T-side smokes: B site execution

Market Window smoke

Position: at the Catwalk door. Aim: top-right corner of the Market Window building. Throw: jump-throw. Effect: closes the Market Window angle completely, enabling safe B Apps entry.

Short Corner (CT) smoke

Position: Short wall position. Aim: a specific ledge point on the Short Corner roofline. Throw: jump-throw. Effect: cuts CT rotation through Short — one of the hardest lineups on the map, but essential for organised executes.

Van smoke

Position: T mid. Aim: standard lineup against the mid wall. Throw: jump-throw. Effect: blocks Van, enabling a safe B Apps setup without CT pressure from mid.

CT-side smokes

T ramp smoke (from CT)

Useful during retakes or aggressive CT plays. Blocks T ramp to delay T-side entry. Standard position at the CT corridor wall, jump-throw.

Mid Window smoke (from CT)

Closes off Catwalk — thrown from the A short pillar position, standing throw. Effective for denying T-side mid control early in the round.

Essential flashes

A short pop flash into CT

Overhead flip flash from the A short wall — blinds CT defenders without blinding yourself. Jump-throw bounce off the right wall at A short.

B Apps pop flash

Thrown from the B Apps corner, angled slightly left and upward. Detonates just in front of the B site, blinding CTs without blinding incoming Ts. The essential opener for any B execute.

Mid to Catwalk flash

Thrown from the T mid box top, over the mid wall. Blinds any CT peeking from Catwalk without exposure. Enables safe Catwalk entry for a Ts who want mid control.

Practice recommendation

Start by mastering three smokes for one site — not twenty lineups half-understood. The CT smoke, Ticket Booth, and Steps are the minimum viable Mirage A execute. Run them in an offline server until they are automatic before adding more to your library.